New (Old) '83 GS850G Owner 'Hello!'

[Burque73]

I hope all goes well picking this one up. Sure looks nice!

 

[MiddleAgedKid]

Cool. You got the faster color, Cosmos Blue.

Here's my '83 GS850G:

"The Faster Color," I like that! bwringer - are those stock bars? I don't like the Buckhorn bars, which I may change over quickly.

 

[Steve]

... - are those stock bars? I don't like the Buckhorn bars, which I may change over quickly.

What you show in the picture are not "buckhorn" bars. Those are the stock "G" bars, which are actually rather comfortable if you leave the windshield on.

"Buckhorn" bars are what you would find on the "L" bikes, and those aren't just uncomfortable, they are certified torture devices. Similar bars from other manufacturers aren't nearly as bad, but somehow, Suzuki managed to perfect the torture aspect with those bars.

If you remove the windshield, you might want to look at Superbike or Euro bend bars.

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[Redman]

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Ah, the two tone blue. (oh, I was thinking of 82).

Will be interesting to hear your reaction to riding the 850.

 

[bwringer]

The bars on my bike are a "Daytona" bend The stock G bars are not quite the torture devices adorning the GL, but they're pretty rotten for most people. As Steve noted, the stock G bars can work OK behind a windshield.

 

[MiddleAgedKid]

Thanks guys! I appreciate that feedback. I'll give the bars a chance, although the windshield in the pic doesn't come with the bike, but a large Suzuki windshield is included. I'm not much of a windshield type, although I may learn to like it.

 

[Grimly]

Euro Gs came with lower bars which are perfect if you want to hustle on without a shield of any sort. They lean you forward enough to counteract the wind, but as with any of that type of bar you get fed up with being battered on a long journey.

 

[Rob S.]

I'm not much of a windshield type...

I'm with you - windshields are for cars.

 

[rphillips]

Windshields aren't exactly me either, but in colder months they're really kind'f nice. Hey Grimly, tell about the lower bars that, you say, were on the Euro GS's. I didn't have a clue they were different. The OEM bars, on most all "E" & "G" models were too tall for my liking, I'd probably like to try them if they are lower, but not too low. Rekon where I could find some, or the specs for a stock Euro set.

 

[Grimly]

Windshields aren't exactly me either, but in colder months they're really kind'f nice. Hey Grimly, tell about the lower bars that, you say, were on the Euro GS's. I didn't have a clue they were different. The OEM bars, on most all "E" & "G" models were too tall for my liking, I'd probably like to try them if they are lower, but not too low. Rekon where I could find some, or the specs for a stock Euro set.

Those Daytona bars that are often mentioned on here are pretty much the same as the stock Euro bars.
I no longer have a set of the OEM bars, having replaced them over the years with ones that suited me more.

Looking at Fowler's page, I see the low bars are no longer available...
https://ie.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/5286651/gs850g-t-x-80-81/handlebar

Pt no. 56111-45100-000
But also listed as being fitted to (or perhaps optional) on GS1000T/ET/HT (1980) but maybe only the Eu market.
A search on Partzilla is inconclusive, bringing up x-refs that might or might not be suitable.
https://www.partzilla.com/search?q=56111-45100-000

A search on the original part number is the same - seems to bring up competition (or is that comp for complete or compatible?) bars, but you'd really need to find one and measure it up.
https://www.partzilla.com/search?q=56110-34540-000
The x-ref doesn't seem to be working very well, as some of those bars are for cruisers.

If you want a real set of Euro GS low bars, try ebay.co.uk

Otoh... here's a set of low GS 850 bars in the US, but I suspect they're aftermarket and not OEM. They look about right.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUZUKI-G...715540?hash=item261546c054:g:tXMAAOSwnRpcdEIB

 

[rphillips]

Over here those are advertised & called Euro bars, appx. 2" rise, a little too low for me these days.. I think the OEM "E" & "G" bars were appx. 6" rise, not sure as I have no OEM from back then, still probably too tall for me, even after all these yrs. I think 3" to 4" is pretty good, just curious how ya'lls OEM compaired to ours, never knew there was a difference. Very interesting, thanks.

 

[Steve]

Otoh... here's a set of low GS 850 bars in the US, but I suspect they're aftermarket and not OEM. They look about right.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUZUKI-G...715540?hash=item261546c054:g:tXMAAOSwnRpcdEIB

Those are nice-looking bars, but I have a sneaking suspicion they are not stock. :-k

I don't know of any 850 that came with black bars. They may have taken them off an 850, but they're not OEM.

And, ... I know that dealer. They are about 15 minutes from my house. They do some nice work on some of their "restorations", but are occasionally a bit "generous" with their descriptions. :-\\\

.

 

[Grimly]

It's kind of ironic that even though I preferred the low bars, I ended up fitting higher bars to mine anyway, to better suit my riding position for the long haul. For a while I had a fairing that matched the low bars quite well, but without the wind blast it was counterproductive. As soon as I started using a decent windshield then a Vetter I needed the bars that were almost-never seen on road-going GSs here. Hardly any to be found, so I ended up searching the breakers for bars with a suitable rise and pullback. Currently running a set of ST1100 bars, and even they weren't high enough.

 

[alke46]

I hope all goes well picking this one up. Sure looks nice!

That is a very nice looking setup with the Krauser bags. Are they quick detachable or no?

It's kind of ironic that even though I preferred the low bars, I ended up fitting higher bars to mine anyway, to better suit my riding position for the long haul. For a while I had a fairing that matched the low bars quite well, but without the wind blast it was counterproductive. As soon as I started using a decent windshield then a Vetter I needed the bars that were almost-never seen on road-going GSs here. Hardly any to be found, so I ended up searching the breakers for bars with a suitable rise and pullback. Currently running a set of ST1100 bars, and even they weren't high enough.

Have you considered risers under the bars?

 

[Grimly]

Have you considered risers under the bars?

That's what I did in the end, but only got an inch or so. It was enough to make a useful difference.

 

[MiddleAgedKid]

Those Daytona bars that are often mentioned on here are pretty much the same as the stock Euro bars.
I no longer have a set of the OEM bars, having replaced them over the years with ones that suited me more.

Looking at Fowler's page, I see the low bars are no longer available...
https://ie.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/5286651/gs850g-t-x-80-81/handlebar

Pt no. 56111-45100-000
But also listed as being fitted to (or perhaps optional) on GS1000T/ET/HT (1980) but maybe only the Eu market.
A search on Partzilla is inconclusive, bringing up x-refs that might or might not be suitable.
https://www.partzilla.com/search?q=56111-45100-000

A search on the original part number is the same - seems to bring up competition (or is that comp for complete or compatible?) bars, but you'd really need to find one and measure it up.
https://www.partzilla.com/search?q=56110-34540-000
The x-ref doesn't seem to be working very well, as some of those bars are for cruisers.

If you want a real set of Euro GS low bars, try ebay.co.uk

Otoh... here's a set of low GS 850 bars in the US, but I suspect they're aftermarket and not OEM. They look about right.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUZUKI-G...715540?hash=item261546c054:g:tXMAAOSwnRpcdEIB

Thanks Grimly! I appreciate the time you invested in replying here. It's truly helpful.

 

[Grimly]

Thanks Grimly! I appreciate the time you invested in replying here. It's truly helpful.

No problem. Somebody might find it useful and hang on to a set of Euro bars just in case.

 

[MiddleAgedKid]

That is a very nice looking setup with the Krauser bags. Are they quick detachable or no?


Have you considered risers under the bars?

Hi Larry - yes, the Krauser bags are detachable, I'm almost finished removing the framing. I'm torn on whether I'll ever use them. They are kinda nice.